‘We’re just trying to carry his life forward’: Cobourg mom who lost son to suicide hopes to help others
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- 8 min read
By editor/reporter Sarah Hyatt
For Cobourg resident and mom Sue Glover, she remembers her son David as an intelligent, charismatic bright light.
He was there to support his friends and even strangers fighting their own demons, despite being unable to overcome his own, including the trauma associated with being a childhood survivor of sexual abuse, shared Glover.
The 28-year-old was a son, nephew, cousin, friend, grandson, artist, advocate, and so much more, said mom.
Glover and her sister Theresa Rickerby started “Tattoos4Trauma” in his honour and memory.
David died by suicide about two weeks before his 29th birthday (Sept. 9) in August 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s the worst thing ever,” said Glover, on losing her only child. “Basically, now, I’m never going to be a grandma, right. This was our only child – our boy.”
Implementing Tattoos4Trauma (T4T) has become Glover’s passion – she doesn’t want another family to lose a son, or another loved one to suicide.
This time of year is challenging for Glover, especially when trying to also juggle fundraisers and the like. However, it also provides her an outlet to “throw her energy into.”
But it wasn’t always this way.
“I mean, I spent the first year (after David died) at home on the couch, you know, apparently watching Netflix. I don’t recall ever seeing any of the shows, but apparently (that’s what I did.)”
It took years before she essentially “got back out into the world.”
“I couldn’t go out there – and it was in all that COVID hell, too. It was right at the peak of the worst of COVID, and it was a really strange sort of energy out there, and I just couldn’t cope.”
Six years later, she still notes: “You wake up every day, and you have to choose. I have to wake up every single day now and choose to get up and fight.”
Many Northumberland residents may be familiar with T4T’s usual tattoo-inspired annual campaigns, but the sisters are also working on a brand-new event this year: “The T4T Walk to End Suicide.”
The sisters described the walk as a grassroots community-driven event dedicated to raising awareness, building community and providing support in response to the ongoing mental health crisis. It’s about bringing people together to honour lives lost, to support loved ones impacted by suicide loss, and strengthen suicide prevention locally, they explained.
With activities centred around the Cobourg Yacht Club yard area, the walk is set for Saturday, Sept. 12, just after World Suicide Prevention Day, which is observed on Thursday, Sept. 10.
It’s not a typical walk fundraiser with fees or teams raising monies – although donations will be collected should people choose – instead it’s a free event, with the intent to make it as a low-barrier as possible, said Glover, noting sponsors have stepped to help ensure this.
However, fundraising has been underway prior to this through T4T’s traditional tattoo fundraiser, with proceeds being directed towards Northumberland Hills Hospital’s Community Mental Health Services through the NHH Foundation to help with the development and implementation of a peer-led suicide loss survivor program for residents and families in this region, explained Glover.
The Independent also reached out to the NHH Foundation about this initiative, and a spokesperson confirmed the third-party initiative and said it is accurate for how funds are being used.
The sisters hope this will improve access to help in this area.
It started as just a “dream” really to build this “Better Together” program with NHH, the NHH Foundation, and Ontario Shores for Mental Health Sciences and its recovery college – but it’s become “a beautiful thing” to work with such wonderful partners, said Glover, noting the program is anticipated to launch soon.
“We’re really pleased with the community support because the truth is we could never have built the program and made this happen for the community without the community supporting us.”
The traditional tattoo-inspired fundraiser also expanded earlier this year, with the group approaching studios from Bowmanville through Brighton to help drive this new support program. In addition, there has been merchandising-related fundraising through T-shirts, custom jewelry, hats, “funky, cool socks,” et cetera, which will also be up for grabs at the first-time upcoming walk.
“Because what we’re trying to do here is for all of Northumberland County.”
For Glover, losing her son was “devastating.”
“I didn’t know how we were gonna move forward and how we were gonna do it, but I had to go for all the help I received to be able to speak to you today,” Glover told the Independent, noting she had to access specialized help outside the area.
She noted while there are therapeutic options, doctors and the like locally, for her, she didn’t feel she could relate to them.
“I needed to talk to people who lived through it and see how I was going to live through it, and it was the most profound and impactful part of the support that I received.”
She noted through charity events in recent years, she’s also come to learn of several people struggling locally – people who don’t know what to do or where to turn at times.
For this upcoming walk, the organizers noted they’ve worked hard with hopes of removing barriers – even something as simple as the need to register ahead (it’s an option online, but not necessary.)
In addition to the one-kilometre walk in solidarity down the west boardwalk and back, they’re also working to ensure resources will be onsite for attendees to connect with personally. Some examples include Cobourg-based registered social worker Maureen Pollard, the Gatehouse from Toronto, and St. John’s Ambulance and its therapy dogs, to name a few.
“We’re just trying to bring people the resources they need to get the mental health supports they require,” explained Glover.
Attendees can also expect live music, a community art project, shared stories of lived experiences, and a barbecue food truck onsite by donation, in addition to the memorial walk and the boardwalk will also be lined with pictures of people’s loved ones lost.
For many, Glover expects this could be their first time grieving publicly.
“We’ve got people who lost their children many years ago under the crowd and shroud of the shame of suicide, (and) have never been open about it. And (they’ve been) sending pictures and saying, ‘Thank you, I needed this, like I needed to do this.’”
“And every day, the truth is a suicide loss survivor loses their most important person, whoever that is,” continued Glover. “That’s why the walk is so important. It gives people a chance to grieve and be in a safe space.”
The Government of Canada describes suicide as a significant public health issue nationwide.
According to the Government of Canada through its health, science and research data and health infobase report on suicide, self-harm and suicide-related behaviours detailing key statistics last updated in May, an average of 13 people die daily from suicide in Canada every year, translating to nearly 4,750 deaths annually.
Meanwhile, there are also 55 self-harm hospitalizations daily, including incidents with and without suicidal intent. This translates to 20,000 hospitalizations due to self-harm, the report outlines.
The report also touches on more than 250 suicide attempts per day – and 2,300 who have thoughts of suicide daily.
Suicide has also remained the second-leading cause of death among youth/young adults ages 15 to 34 for the last two decades from 2000 to 2024 (government data often does lag.)
Reducing suicide and supporting mental well-being are described as key priorities under Canada’s National Suicide Prevention Action Plan for 2024-27, and in support of the plan, the Public Health Agency of Canada monitors progress and shares statistics.
“The message we really want out there is if your life has been affected by suicide, then please join us,” stressed Glover. “That’s our key message because there are so many people in our community whose lives have been affected by suicide.
“It’s emotional, as you might imagine … but it’s so important, and we’re going to walk together in solidarity.”
The event starts at 10 a.m. with registration, then at 10:30 a.m. there will be an Alderville Elders’ blessing, programming and speakers at 11 a.m., then a break for the walk at 11:30 a.m., followed by additional activities and guests, art, music, et cetera, until the 2 p.m. wind down.
“And I’ll tell you why (this is) important to me. My son was that person in the world who helped all his friends and was everyone else’s support – and basically, we’re just trying to carry his life forward,” said Glover.
Simply put, “we just want to do the best we can for our community.”
According to Northumberland Paramedics data obtained by the Independent in response to inquiries around mental health-related calls, a Northumberland County spokesperson said: “To date, in 2026, paramedics have responded to 316 calls categorized as behaviour/psychiatric.”
“In 2025, they responded to a total of 516 such calls.”
Meanwhile, in NHH’s annual report to the community, the total number of encounters reported under just community mental health exceeded 44,850 in 2025-26. And these figures do not represent visits in the emergency department, as just one example.
“Grounded in awareness, compassion and action, T4T’s work focuses on suicide prevention, supporting those grieving a loss and increasing understanding of childhood trauma and sexual abuse, and its lasting impact on wellbeing,” explained Tattoos4Trauma. “Together, we walk to reduce stigma, foster hope and remind one another that no one has to walk this journey alone.”
To learn more, visit tattoos4trauma.com or email tattoos4trauma@gmail.com. Donations are also accepted via nhhfoundation.ca.
David’s story: Provided by Tattoos4Trauma
David was a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and like many young people carried the weight of that trauma alone into adulthood.
It was this profound impact that affected David’s self-worth and well-being leading to addiction, housing insecurity and sadly, further trauma as an adult. All of these compounding issues led to David’s inability to see hope or a way forward into the next phase of his life.
During one of the most challenging times in our history, David died by suicide in August 2020.
For a person who had been dealing with trauma at just eight years old, to using alcohol and drugs as a teen, he shared later in life that he struggled with thoughts of suicide since he was 13 years old.
David saw people for who they were and not what the world had made them.
David was an intelligent, charismatic bright light who loved animals, movies, music, fashion, art and politics.
He was so much more than his abuse, trauma and pain – and presented very differently to the world than how he felt inside a lot of the time.
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